Syria's Sharaa says Assad overthrow 'necessary' for entire region

Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa described the overthrow of Bashar al-Assad's regime as a necessity for the entire region, labeling Damascus the fulcrum of Middle East stability in an interview with Qatar's Al Jazeera television broadcast Sunday.

Overthrow 'necessary' for region

Sharaa described Syria as "the central pivot of the region" and said he had long anticipated fundamental change, stressing that the former regime's crimes against its own people made its collapse inevitable. He characterized the Dec. 8 overthrow as a turning point that transcended national boundaries, affecting regional dynamics beyond Syria's borders.

"Removing the former regime was necessary not only for Syria but for the region as a whole," Sharaa told the Doha-based broadcaster, according to the Syrian Arab News Agency.

Military 'only one tool'

The Syrian president explained that opposition forces pursued military objectives while simultaneously preparing for post-conflict reconstruction, rejecting the notion that armed struggle alone could secure lasting change. "Military action is one of the tools of our work, but it is not everything," he said, emphasizing the parallel need for media campaigns, public backing and institutional expertise.

He outlined how effective governance requires trained personnel capable of building economic frameworks and enabling sustainable growth. "Division is weakness, and unity is strength," Sharaa added, citing cohesion as a fundamental principle throughout the campaign.

Idlib governance model

Sharaa said he received no external assistance during the opposition's rise, instead establishing a self-sufficient economy in the northwestern province of Idlib that later served as the operational base for the Damascus offensive. Operating under siege conditions, his administration constructed universities, industrial zones and residential infrastructure while maintaining living standards that exceeded those under the previous government.

"We surpassed the former regime even in living standards in Idlib," he said. "We trained ourselves in institution-building and public administration. We had a Shura Council, universities, media institutions, built a large industrial city, residential neighborhoods, shopping malls, roads, and other infrastructure."

Personal journey and vision

Born to a family from the occupied Golan Heights, Sharaa traced his political awakening to Arab nationalist discourse and Islamic thought, though he distinguished between religious principles and human interpretation. He said his upbringing in an environment opposed to the previous government's policies shaped his commitment to change.

Concluding the interview, he framed Syria's historical significance in sweeping terms. "I believe humanity began here in Syria, and when we stand before Damascus, we stand before the cradle of human civilization," Sharaa said.